METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RELAYING A SENSITIVE INFORMATION DETAIL DURING A TELEPHONE CALL BETWEEN A USER'S TELEPHONE AND A RECIPIENT'S TELEPHONE

Abstract

There is provided a method for relaying a sensitive information detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone, the user's telephone storing the sensitive information detail therein, the method comprising: initiating a telephone call between the user and the recipient; the user's telephone receiving a predetermined input; during the telephone call, the user's telephone accessing the sensitive information detail stored in the user's telephone based on the predetermined input; and the user's telephone audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail, wherein audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail comprises the user's telephone converting, using at least one text-to-speech algorithm, the accessed sensitive information detail to an audible message containing the sensitive information detail and audibly relaying the audible message during the telephone call.

Claims

1. A method for relaying a sensitive information detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone, the user's telephone storing the sensitive information detail therein, the method comprising: (a) initiating a telephone call between the user and the recipient; (b) the user's telephone receiving a predetermined input; (c) during the telephone call, a processor of the user's telephone accessing the sensitive information detail stored in the user's telephone based on the predetermined input; and (d) the processor causing the user's telephone to transmit a signal for audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail via the recipient's telephone; wherein audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail comprises the user's telephone converting, using at least one text-to-speech algorithm, the accessed sensitive information detail to an audible message containing the sensitive information detail and audibly relaying the audible message during the telephone call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the predetermined input comprises the user inputting the predetermined input using the user's telephone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined input comprises the user selecting a key or a sequence of keys on the user's telephone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the predetermined input comprises the recipient inputting the predetermined input using the recipient's telephone and the recipient's telephone relaying the inputted predetermined input to the user's telephone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined input comprises the recipient selecting a key or a sequence of keys on the recipient's telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: the user's telephone receiving a second predetermined input; (a) during the telephone call, the user's telephone accessing a second sensitive information detail stored in the user's telephone based on the second predetermined input; and (b) the user's telephone audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed second sensitive information detail, wherein audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed second sensitive information detail comprises the user's telephone converting, using at least one text-to-speech algorithm, the accessed second sensitive information detail to a second audible message containing the second sensitive information detail and audibly relaying the second audible message during the telephone call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving security authorization from the user using the user's telephone, wherein the security authorization is in the form of receiving one or more of a password, a fingerprint, a retinal-recognition image, or a facial-recognition image from the user's telephone.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the predetermined input comprises receiving the security authorization.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising audibly relaying to the user the accessed sensitive information detail whilst audibly relaying to the recipient the accessed sensitive information detail.

10. A user device comprising: (a) a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store one or more payment card details, including at least a first payment card detail; (b) a display; (c) a user interface usable by a user to provide input; and (d) a telephone communication device configured to provide two-way audio communication; wherein the processor is configured to, as part of a payment detail relay process: (i) establish a communication channel with a recipient via the telephone communication device; (ii) in response to a predetermined input that indicates the start of a transaction, cause one or more graphics associated with the one or more payment card details to display via the display; (iii) create an audible message based on the first payment card detail, wherein the audible message comprises synthesized speech describing the first payment card detail; and (iv) in response to the user selecting a first graphic of the one or more graphics that is associated with the first payment card detail, via the user interface, audibly relay the audible message over the communication channel.

11. The user device of claim 10, wherein the predetermined input is received from the recipient.

12. The user device of claim 10, wherein the predetermined input is received: (i) from the recipient via an alternate communication channel other than the communication channel; and (ii) while the recipient is still connected via the communication channel.

13. The user device of claim 10, wherein the predetermined input is received from the user via the user interface.

14. The user device of claim 10, wherein the payment detail relay process is configured on the user device after installation of a standalone software application on the user device.

15. The user device of claim 10, wherein the payment detail relay process is configured on the user device as an integrated feature of an operating system installed on the user device.

16. The user device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to cause each of the one or more graphics to display via the display as an image of a payment card associated with that graphic.

17. The user device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to audibly relay the audible message over the communication channel so that it is audible to the recipient and the user.

18. The user device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to audibly relay the audible message over the communication channel so that it is audible to the recipient but not the user.

19. A method for providing a payment detail relay process for a user device, the method comprising, with a processor of the user device: (a) storing one or more payment card details, including at least a first payment card detail, on a memory of the user device; (b) establishing a communication channel with a recipient via a telephone communication device of the user device; (c) in response to a predetermined input that indicates the start of a transaction, displaying one or more graphics associated with the one or more payment card details via a display of the user device; (d) creating an audible message based on the first payment card detail, wherein the audible message comprises synthesized speech describing the first payment card detail; and (e) in response to a user selecting a first graphic of the one or more graphics that is associated with the first payment card detail, via a user interface of the user device, audibly relaying the audible message over the communication channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] For a better understanding of the present disclosure and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a first implementation of a method for relaying a payment card detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone;

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a second implementation of a method for relaying a payment card detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone; and

[0038] FIG. 3 shows an example of a telephone which may be used in accordance with the present disclosure, the telephone showing a first selection screen; and

[0039] FIG. 4 shows the telephone of FIG. 3 with a second selection screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a first implementation of a method for relaying a sensitive information detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone. In FIG. 1, the sensitive information detail is a payment card detail, but it will be appreciated that the following described method could be used to transmit other sensitive information details in the same manner.

[0041] In step 110, a telephone call is initiated between a user and a recipient using the user's telephone and the recipient's telephone.

[0042] In certain implementations, during the telephone call, the user and the recipient may agree that an information transfer is required over the telephone. Accordingly, in certain implementations, the user may wish to provide at least one sensitive information detail to the recipient during the telephone call. The at least one sensitive information detail may, when it is a payment detail, be used to complete payment for goods/services or for securing a booking.

[0043] Thereafter, in step 120, the user's telephone receives a predetermined input. In the implementation shown in FIG. 1, the user's telephone receives the predetermined input by the user inputting the predetermined input using the user's telephone. For example, the predetermined input may be entered using the user's telephone's user interface such as a touchscreen, microphone and/or camera.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, the user's telephone receiving the predetermined input in step 120 comprises, in step 120a, the user's telephone receiving security authorization from the user. In certain implementations, the security authorization may be in the form of receiving a passcode/password, a fingerprint, a retinal-recognition image and/or a facial-recognition image from the user using the user's telephone.

[0045] Receiving security authorization from the user in step 120a may be the first element of the overall predetermined input received in step 120.

[0046] In certain implementations, if the security authorization from the user is unsuccessful, the user's telephone may output an error message to the user.

[0047] If the security authorization from the user is unsuccessful, the input received by the user's telephone would not match the required predetermined input and the user's telephone would not proceed to step 130 (described below).

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, the user's telephone receiving the predetermined input in step 120 further comprises, in step 120b, the user's telephone receiving a selection of a payment card from the user.

[0049] The user's telephone stores one or more sets of sensitive information details therein. For example, the user's telephone may store one, two, three, four or five sets of payment card details therein.

[0050] The one or more sets of payment card details are each associated with a payment card. The user's telephone may additionally or alternatively store other types of sensitive information details, for example passport information, driving license information, social security number(s), national insurance number(s), addresses, and/or date(s) of birth.

[0051] For example, at least one set of payment card details or each set of payment card details comprises at least one number and/or at least one date.

[0052] In certain implementations, at least one set of payment card details or each set of payment card details comprises: a first number, a second number and a date. Optionally, the first number may be a sixteen-digit number, the second number may be a three-digit number. The at least one set of payment card details or each set of payment card details may optionally further comprise: a second date and/or a string of text, for example, a name.

[0053] In step 120b, the user may select which payment card out of the one or more payment cards that should be relayed to the recipient. For example, the user may select a numerical key on their telephone to select which payment card to proceed with and/or the user may select a visual prompt on a screen of the user's telephone which represents the payment card, for example, an image of the payment card.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 1, the user's telephone receiving the predetermined input in step 120 further comprises, in step 120c, the user's telephone receiving an input associated with a payment card detail of the selected payment card.

[0055] For example, the user may select an input on their phone which is associated with one of the payment card details in the set of payment card details of the selected payment card.

[0056] Thereafter, in step 130, the user's telephone accesses the associated payment card detail stored therein and in step 140 relays this accessed payment card detail to the recipient.

[0057] Specifically, step 140 comprises, in step 140a, converting the accessed payment card detail from a string (for example containing text and/or numbers) to an audible message using at least one text-to-speech algorithm.

[0058] Thereafter, in step 140b, the audible message containing the payment card detail is audibly relayed to the recipient during the telephone call. As used herein, ‘audibly relayed’ refers to relaying a message containing speech which is understood by a human being.

[0059] In step 140b, the audible message may also be relayed to the user whilst audibly relaying the accessed payment card detail to the recipient.

[0060] Thereafter, the recipient may request another type of payment card detail and therefore the method may return to step 120c in which another input associated with another payment card detail of the selected payment card is received.

[0061] A return to step 120c may be performed until the recipient has received all required payment card details of the selected payment card.

[0062] Once the final payment card detail is received, the recipient may process the payment using the received payment card detail(s). Thereafter, in step 150, the telephone call between the user and the recipient may be terminated.

[0063] With the above-described method, as the user's telephone stores the payment card detail therein and audibly relays the payment card detail to the recipient during the telephone call, the user does not need to retrieve their payment card and therefore does not need to physically handle the payment card during the telephone call. This means that the user may audibly relay their payment card detail whilst only interacting with their telephone. This therefore provides for a physically convenient method for relaying a payment card detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone.

[0064] Additionally, as the user's telephone itself audibly relays the payment card detail to the recipient, the user themselves need not speak the payment card detail. This therefore provides for increased security in a public space as a third party standing or sitting in close proximity to the user cannot eavesdrop and obtain the relayed payment card detail. Hence, the method is also a secure method for relaying a payment card detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone.

[0065] Moreover, as the user does not manually read out the payment card details, the potential for an error made during the relaying of the payment card details as a result of misreading, poor eyesight and/or accent, is eliminated. This method therefore provides for an improved accuracy in relaying payment card details over the telephone. As the potential for an error has been eliminated from the user's side, the chances for restarting the payment process due to an error is greatly reduced thereby further improving the convenience of making a payment over the telephone.

[0066] Throughout the entire method, the user may terminate the telephone call between the user and the recipient. Additionally or alternatively, throughout the entire method, the user may terminate the relaying of the payment card detail to the recipient at any stage.

[0067] FIG. 2 shows a second implementation of a method for relaying a payment card detail during a telephone call between a user's telephone and a recipient's telephone. The second implementation is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and therefore only the differences will be discussed below.

[0068] In particular, the second implementation differs in that step 220 comprises, in step 220c, the user's telephone receiving an input associated with a payment card detail of the selected payment card, in which the input is received from the recipient.

[0069] Specially, in step 220c, the recipient may select an input on the recipient's telephone, said input then being relayed to the user's telephone and being received by the user's telephone as an input.

[0070] In certain implementations, the recipient's telephone may relay the input of the user's telephone using dual-tone multi-frequency signaling or any other means of communication.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows an example of a telephone which may be used in accordance with the present disclosure. In FIG. 3, the telephone is illustrated as showing a first selection screen.

[0072] The telephone shown in FIG. 3 is a mobile telephone 300 comprising a screen 310, optionally being a touchscreen, and three pushbuttons 320. The mobile telephone 300 may be used by the user.

[0073] The mobile telephone 300 includes a non-transitory computer readable medium (not shown) carrying executable instructions for carrying out any of the methods disclosed herein.

[0074] The mobile telephone 300 stores therein at least one set of sensitive information details.

[0075] In the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the screen 310 shows a first selection screen which can be used in step 120b or 220b of the methods described above. In particular, the sensitive information details are payment details in this example, and the first selection screen shown on screen 310 allows the user to select a payment card out of a first payment card and a second payment card by selecting the first payment card button 310a and the second payment card button 310b respectively.

[0076] FIG. 4 shows the telephone of FIG. 3 with a second selection screen shown on the screen 310.

[0077] In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the screen 310 shows the second selection screen which can be used in step 120c of the methods described above. In particular, the second selection screen shown on screen 310 allows the user to select a payment card detail out of the set of payment card details associated with the selected payment card. The second selection screen allows the user to select a first payment card detail or a second payment card detail by selecting the first payment card detail button 310c and the second payment card detail button 310d respectively.

[0078] Although the above explanation is considered to fully clarify how the present invention may straightforwardly be put into effect by those skilled in the art, it is to be regarded as purely exemplary.

[0079] For example, even though FIGS. 3 and 4 show a mobile telephone, the present disclosure may be implemented using a landline telephone which does not comprise a screen or touchscreen. For example, all inputs may be entered using a physical keypad and all outputs may be given using the telephones speaker.

[0080] Furthermore, the sensitive information details do not need to be audibly relayed in isolation as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Instead, after receiving a predetermined input, the user's telephone may access all sensitive information details associated with the selected sensitive information and audibly relay all sensitive information details in a single audible message to the recipient.

[0081] Any of the above methods may be implemented using software being part of the user's telephone's operating system (such as Android or iOS) or being part of an application installed on the user's telephone.

[0082] In any of the above methods, when the sensitive information detail is a payment card detail, the user's telephone may store any of the payment card details associated with payment cards on an application which is part of the user's telephone's operating system (such as Android or iOS) or being part of an application installed on the user's telephone. For example, the user's payment card details may be stored on Apple Pay, Google Pay or any other application of the like.

[0083] All of the above are fully within the scope of the present disclosure and are considered to form the basis for alternative embodiments in which one or more combinations of the above-described features are applied, without limitation to the specific combinations disclosed above.

[0084] In light of this, there will be many alternatives which implement the teaching of the present disclosure. It is expected that one skilled in the art will be able to modify and adapt the above disclosure to suite its own circumstances and requirements within the scope of the present disclosure, while retaining some or all technical effects of the same, either disclosed or derivable from the above, in light of his comment general knowledge in this art. All such equivalents, modifications or adaptations fall within the scope of the invention hereby defined and claimed.